Kendall Caple
Reporter
As college students, a group of undead, personality clashing roommates who maintain an aversion to the sun is a situation we are all too familiar with.
Directed by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, “What We Do in the Shadows” is a horror-comedy mockumentary that explores the lives of four ancient vampires, Viago, Vladislav, Deacon and Petyr, as they navigate modern technology and life in the 21st century.
One of the major aspects of any comedy film is its re-watchability. With its deadpan, dry humor and witty exaggeration of clichés, “What We Do in the Shadows” is a comedic classic that brings blood-soaked laughs with each viewing and high quotability.
From its satirical portrayal of classic vampires like Dracula, Vlad the Impaler, Nosferatu and more, the film is an incredibly fresh take on the vampire genre as it takes mundane events, like bickering over chores, and applies them to the conflicting dispositions of the parodied fanged roommates.
But as the documentary crew films the daily domestic lives of the four vampires, their routines are suddenly changed with the inclusion of the recently turned vampire, Nick and his best friend and human, Stu, into their group.
Along with learning how to text and use digital cameras, the vampire gang also finds themselves in comedic situations through their interactions with other monsters, like werewolves, witches and zombies.
Although vampire films and mockumentaries have been considered overdone tropes, the combination of the two genres, paired with Clement and Waititi’s clever writing, and the charming comedic improvisation from the entire cast, creates a frightfully humorous and intelligent film that anyone can sink their teeth into.
For those who find themselves wanting more of the parodied monster-universe Clement and Waititi create in “What We Do in the Shadows,” the franchise has expanded with a television spinoff of the same name, currently running two seasons long, available to watch on Hulu and FX.
If you are looking for a hilarious and blood-filled film to watch this Halloween, “What We Do in the Shadows” is the perfect choice for you. Both the film and show are available for viewing on Hulu.
